Community Involvement

Ascendium Cares

Ascendium employees are committed to making a difference in the communities where they live and work. Our employee giving program, Ascendium Cares, embodies that commitment, and we encourage everyone at Ascendium to get involved.

Volunteer Time Off

The passion Ascendium employees have for serving others is reflected in the time they spend volunteering in their community. Employees can use up to eight hours of paid time off each year to volunteer through an activity organized by Ascendium Cares employee ambassadors or at a nonprofit of their choosing. Ascendium then further amplifies the impact. We match volunteer hours with a donation to eligible nonprofits where employees volunteered, a program called Dollars for Doers.

Five Ascendium employees stand shoulder to shoulder smiling wearing t-shirts that say best team ever

Ascendium Cares in 2023

33

ORGANIZATIONS SERVED

1,300+

HOURS VOLUNTEERED

$27,000+

DOLLARS FOR DOERS DONATIONS

"Ascendium’s volunteer time off program allows me to use my passions to help the nonprofit organizations that matter to me. It is fun to see the ripples of goodness that Ascendium’s employees are creating in the community through this program — happy, healthy kids; grateful parents; spruced up spaces; nourished families; and much, much more."

JENNY | DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL AT ASCENDIUM

Annual Initiatives

Throughout the year, Ascendium employees participate in initiatives that allow them to meet the needs of students and their families, as well as contribute to organizations that share our goal of elevating opportunity. Here are a few 2023 initiatives.

A colorful collection of folders, notebooks, pens, rulers and paint

School Supply Drive

During our Collect for Kids Supply Drive, employees put into action their commitment to eliminating academic barriers. They donated essentials like backpacks, pencils, and notebooks to local schools, community centers, and children-centric nonprofits. Those organizations distributed the supplies to in-need students, equipping them to navigate the school year with confidence and prepared to do their best.

Two Ascendium employees outside on a sunny day standing in front of tall prairie grasses

Employee-Driven Grants

Good Neighbor Grants empower employees to direct corporate funds to causes they’re passionate about. Over several months, employees researched, nominated, and voted for nonprofits doing impactful work in their community. Ascendium then awarded the top vote-getters a Good Neighbor Grant. The selected nonprofits encompassed a wide variety of causes, including literacy, child welfare, and community development.

LEARN ABOUT THE 2023 GOOD NEIGHBOR GRANT RECIPIENTS

A woman in the Ascendium break room smiles down at a laptop while her colleagues converse in the background

personal employee giving

When they saw a need in their community, employees were quick to jump in with a monetary gift. The causes they donated to reflect their personal interests and passions, from youth fine arts to wildlife preservation to cancer research. While their donations were diverse, their objective was the same — to make their community a better place. Building on that generosity, Ascendium tripled employee donations to eligible nonprofits through a program fittingly called Triple Your Impact.

Two women from Ascendium stand smiling in front a United Way wall logos holding a glass award

Employee Pledges

Employees focused support on Community Shares of Wisconsin and their local United Way through a campaign called Unite for Our Communities. During the campaign, employees participated in volunteer activities and pledged donations to increase the ability of these organizations to help people succeed in school, work, and life. To maximize employee giving power, Ascendium quadrupled pledge donations with a four-to-one corporate match.

SPOTLIGHT: ASCENDIUM CARES EMPLOYEE AMBASSADORS

Liaison, guru, cheerleader — our Ascendium Cares employee ambassadors wear many hats to ensure the success of the Ascendium Cares program. Each ambassador commits eight hours each month, on company time, to building connections with local organizations, sharing new volunteer opportunities with coworkers, and promoting initiatives like Unite for Our Communities.

Terri, who serves as ambassador for employees in the Eagan, Minnesota, area, appreciates the opportunities that have come her way as a result of the role. “Being an ambassador has put me in touch with several local nonprofit groups and opened my eyes to the significant need in our communities,” she said. “It’s also allowed me to stay closely connected with the fully remote Eagan team as we volunteer. We love getting together and working side-by-side to help others in fun and meaningful ways.”